Vero Beach Hurricane Damage: A Claim Timeline While Crews Work

If you are calling restoration companies about Vero Beach hurricane damage, first record the damage on photo and video. Then let the emergency work begin. Report the loss to your insurer, keep every receipt, and read anything the crew asks you to sign. These records help document your wind claim if the insurer later delays, denies or underpays it.

Before the crew pulls up: record the house as the storm left it

Once cleanup starts, this record cannot be made again. Start outside and work your way in.

• Walk each side of the house on video and say what you see: roof edges, soffits, screen enclosures, fences, windows and doors.
• Inside, film every room, including the ceilings. Film the attic too if it is safe to go up there.
• Take close-up photos of water lines, stains, cracked glass and torn shingles.
• Photograph damaged furniture, electronics and other belongings before they go to the curb.
• Back up the original files somewhere other than your phone.

If you cannot get onto the roof safely, take photos from the ground.

While the crew works: what to keep

The Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights, section 627.7142, Florida Statutes, applies to insurers that issue personal lines residential property policies. Your insurer must send it to you within 14 days after it first hears from you about a claim. It summarizes existing law. It advises you to make and document emergency repairs needed to prevent further damage. It also advises you to keep the damaged property if feasible, keep all receipts, and take photos or video before and after any repairs.

That is advice, not a legal duty. Your actual duty to protect the property from further damage comes from your policy, so read its section on what you must do after a loss.

On site:

• When practical, ask the crew to set aside samples of what they remove, such as wet drywall, flooring or a damaged shingle.
• Ask for copies of any photos, moisture readings or drying logs the crew makes.
• Keep every invoice, estimate and receipt, including for tarps, fans or plywood you buy yourself.
• If you have to leave the home, keep your hotel and meal receipts.

The form on the clipboard: read it before you sign

A crew may give you a contract, a work authorization, or a form asking your insurer to pay the company directly. Read it before you sign. The Bill of Rights advises you to:

• Contact your insurer before signing any repair contract. Ask whether your policy has managed repair provisions or optional preferred vendors.
• Carefully read any contract that requires you to pay out-of-pocket expenses or a fee based on a percentage of your insurance proceeds.
• Confirm the contractor is licensed to do business in Florida, and ask for references.
• Require proof of insurance before repairs begin.

If the document mentions your insurance benefits, your claim, or your insurer paying the company, ask a lawyer to review it before you sign. Keep a copy of everything you sign.

Vero Beach hurricane damage: the clock under Florida law

Tell your insurer about the loss as soon as you can. Keep a log of every call, email and letter, with dates and names.

Your notice deadline. Section 627.70132, Florida Statutes, covers property insurance policies, including policies from eligible surplus lines insurers. Under it, a claim or reopened claim is barred unless you gave notice as your policy requires within 1 year after the date of loss. For a supplemental claim, the limit is 18 months after the date of loss. These limits are tolled (paused) while a named insured who is a servicemember is deployed to a combat zone or combat support posting, if the deployment materially affects their ability to file. For a hurricane claim, the date of loss is the date the hurricane made landfall.

Signs it is time to talk to a lawyer

• You received a denial letter, or a partial denial you do not understand.
• The insurer asked for documents or a statement and you are unsure how to respond.

For more background, read why filing a hurricane damage claim in Florida matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the crew start before the adjuster inspects?

The Bill of Rights advises making the emergency repairs needed to prevent further damage and documenting the damage before and after. Check your policy for any other requirements.

What date of loss applies to a Vero Beach hurricane claim?

Under s. 627.70132(3), Fla. Stat., the date of loss for a hurricane claim is the date the hurricane made landfall. The 1-year notice limit and the 18-month supplemental claim limit both count from that date.

My payment said the insurer is still evaluating. What does that mean?

Under s. 627.70131(6)(b), Fla. Stat., a payment that is not full and final must include a notice saying the insurer is continuing to evaluate your claim and may issue additional payments. Keep documenting the damage and send any new information to the insurer.

Talk to Louis Law Group

If your Vero Beach hurricane damage claim was denied, delayed or underpaid, Louis Law Group can review your policy and the insurer's decision with you. See if you qualify or call (833) 657-4812. Our office is at 12 SE 7th St Ste 805, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

This article is general information, not legal advice.